Colangleo visits JV in Lithuania

BOSTON - Due to the lockout and the late start of the NBA season, Bryan Colangelo had not had a chance to see and talk live with top prospect Jonas Valanciunas since last summer.

Toronto’s president and general manager rectified that situation recently by having productive meetings with Valanciunas, Lietuvos Rytas head coach Aleksandar Dzikic, its owner and Lithuanian national team head coach Kestutis Kemzura.

“It was just more than anything, an expression that all of our interests are aligned. We want what’s best for Jonas, want him to be as prepared as possible to make the best possible entrance into the NBA,” Colangelo said before his Raptors took on the Celtics on Wednesday night.

“Everybody now is certainly on the same page.”

Colangelo insisted there were no issues before and definitely aren’t any now.

“We had a chance to learn a little bit more about the situation, which is always good. Bridge a little bit of communication between all the parties, which is equally important when the buyout is concerned (the Raptors will buy Valanciunas out after Rytas concludes its season) … more than anything, making sure everybody had the same vision and I think that is very much the case.”

Colangelo and executive vice-president of basketball operations Ed Stefanski watched Valanciunas put up a strong outing against Bennetton Treviso (17 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks by his count) and saw him go through a spirited practice, despite being tired.

“He had a spectacular game when we were there and also a very solid practice. They had just come in from playing a game in the Czech Republic,” he said.

Getting face time with Valanciunas — a dinner, a chance to discuss what needs to be worked on and what to expect as the summer approaches — made for “an extremely positive trip.”

Colangelo said Valanciunas, selected fifth overall by the club, has “gotten a little bit bigger physically” and “a little more fluid inside.”

No longer just a screen and roll player, the Lithuanian centre is starting to expand his game, though the GM cautioned there is still work to be done.

This summer, Lithuania will be playing in a last-chance Olympic qualifying tournament in Venezuela. If the team qualifies for London, Valanciunas will not be able to attend NBA summer league, alongside whoever Toronto selects in the 2012 draft.

The tournament goes from July 2-9, while summer league should start about a week later.

“It’s safe to say, if they qualify, he’s going right back into training at the Olympics. If they don’t qualify, he’ll be in a better position to join us,” Colangelo said.

Considering how good Lithuania is, a trip to Las Vegas doesn’t seem to be in Valanciunas’ future this summer.

Also he will be playing in pressure situations, and developing some composure from a mental toughness standpoint, which he wouldnt really get in summer league lol.

That's true, however with summer league, the Raptors could send some of their coaches and trainers to work with JV directly. That's one thing we haven't had a chance to do since he's been in Europe all year. I'd personally prefer if he was playing in summer league, just so he has more time adapting to the new NBA life style and culture change.

That's true, however with summer league, the Raptors could send some of their coaches and trainers to work with JV directly. That's one thing we haven't had a chance to do since he's been in Europe all year. I'd personally prefer if he was playing in summer league, just so he has more time adapting to the new NBA life style and culture change.

But c'est la vie.

There would also be the bonding factor as a few of his team-mates on the summer league team will be on the Raptors with him. Also, they would be learning the offensive and defensive concepts that team would implement in the regular season. On teh bright side, I am just happy that he will be coming over for next season.

I'd rather see him in the Olympics playing against the best players in the world rather than playing against a bunch of rookies, scrubs, has-beens and never-will-be's in summer league.

Yeah, having the Raptors coaches work with him sooner rather than later would be nice but it's not like Valancunias is some marginal prospect who needs to get minutes and court time just to learn how to play. This isn't Solomon Alabi or even an Ed Davis. He's a high-level prospect playing significant (and productive minutes) against top Euro teams. Hopefully, JV will be the starting 5 for the next 9 years, so I'm not too concerned about some marginal advantage he may gain for November by working out with Summer League luminaries.

I'd rather see him in the Olympics playing against the best players in the world rather than playing against a bunch of rookies, scrubs, has-beens and never-will-be's in summer league.

Yeah, having the Raptors coaches work with him sooner rather than later would be nice but it's not like Valancunias is some marginal prospect who needs to get minutes and court time just to learn how to play. This isn't Solomon Alabi or even an Ed Davis. He's a high-level prospect playing significant (and productive minutes) against top Euro teams. Hopefully, JV will be the starting 5 for the next 9 years, so I'm not too concerned about some marginal advantage he may gain for November by working out with Summer League luminaries.

I was actually leaning towards making him play in the summer league but i agree with you. I dont consider JV an amateur or a rookie either. I think he's already gained much experience and there's little else that coaches and trainers can teach him that he doesnt know already. What he could use the summer for instead of playing in the olympics is to bulk up, coz he aint gonna last long against Howard (275lbs) and Bynum (285lbs) with a 240lbs frame.

I was actually leaning towards making him play in the summer league but i agree with you. I dont consider JV an amateur or a rookie either. I think he's already gained much experience and there's little else that coaches and trainers can teach him that he doesnt know already. What he could use the summer for instead of playing in the olympics is to bulk up, coz he aint gonna last long against Howard (275lbs) and Bynum (285lbs) with a 240lbs frame.

Do you really think he needs to bulk up much? Tyson Chandler is probably about 240lbs and he can handle himself in the post. JV is not a monster like Howard, Bynum or even Bogut. I think most of his weight will naturally come on as he matures.

One of my concerns about playing in the Olympics over summer league is the adaptation to the North American team. For several years it seemed like Bargnani was not really a part of the team because he seemed like a fish out of water. If JV can feel more comfortable around his North American peers, I think that would be a good thing - however more likely than not, Kleiza will be on his Lithuanian team, so he'll have someone that can teach him the ropes while he's playing international ball anyways.

Consider me convinced.. if his team makes the Olympics it'll be a team I could root for. The US will win, but I'd love it if they didn't.

I was actually leaning towards making him play in the summer league but i agree with you. I dont consider JV an amateur or a rookie either. I think he's already gained much experience and there's little else that coaches and trainers can teach him that he doesnt know already. What he could use the summer for instead of playing in the olympics is to bulk up, coz he aint gonna last long against Howard (275lbs) and Bynum (285lbs) with a 240lbs frame.

He has actually added size this year despite playing. If you look at videos from last summer and compare to videos and pictures from this year, I see noticeable difference - especially in his arms.

Do you really think he needs to bulk up much? Tyson Chandler is probably about 240lbs and he can handle himself in the post. JV is not a monster like Howard, Bynum or even Bogut. I think most of his weight will naturally come on as he matures.

One of my concerns about playing in the Olympics over summer league is the adaptation to the North American team. For several years it seemed like Bargnani was not really a part of the team because he seemed like a fish out of water. If JV can feel more comfortable around his North American peers, I think that would be a good thing - however more likely than not, Kleiza will be on his Lithuanian team, so he'll have someone that can teach him the ropes while he's playing international ball anyways.

Consider me convinced.. if his team makes the Olympics it'll be a team I could root for. The US will win, but I'd love it if they didn't.

If the Raps are going to rely on him entirely to man the post and get his points in the paint, i think he needs to bulk up good and fast. Chandler doesnt seem to rebound that well against teams like Orlando, OKC who have bulky big men. And it doesnt just have to be rebounding, taking contact down low is much more easier when youre bigger than the guys youre playing against. Even Deandre Jordan and Javale McGee are at least 260lbs.

If the Raps are going to rely on him entirely to man the post and get his points in the paint, i think he needs to bulk up good and fast. Chandler doesnt seem to rebound that well against teams like Orlando, OKC who have bulky big men. And it doesnt just have to be rebounding, taking contact down low is much more easier when youre bigger than the guys youre playing against. Even Deandre Jordan and Javale McGee are at least 260lbs.

He may need to gain some more weight, but Chandler does seem to do an okay job against some of the bigger men in the league.

Here are some stats I grabbed from basketball-reference.com showing the head to head stats between Chandler and some of the biggest guys in the league:

Outside of Howard (who is essentially a robot), Chandler rebounds better than the other 'big' guys in the league. I don't think JV needs to put on that much more weight. His specialty is his energy and hustle. More weight can actually hurt that, IMO.

If the Raps are going to rely on him entirely to man the post and get his points in the paint, i think he needs to bulk up good and fast. Chandler doesnt seem to rebound that well against teams like Orlando, OKC who have bulky big men. And it doesnt just have to be rebounding, taking contact down low is much more easier when youre bigger than the guys youre playing against. Even Deandre Jordan and Javale McGee are at least 260lbs.

Jordan And McGee are both 4 yrs older than Valanciunas, so let's give him a little time to develop naturally. He has a large frame that will support weight gain. And we actually don't know what he weighs now, do we? Wasn't the 240 his draft weight? Anyway, he's going to be fine, as long as us Raptors fans don't subject him to the psychosis we've developed over the last three years of crappy basketball.